Chaos from Beyond
by Lanelle
Summary: The world's ending and the elderly Bruce Wayne, like always, has a contingency plan.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimor: I do not own Batman Beyond or Justice**__** League or Justice League Unlimited**_

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An unnatural rush of wind whips through the sky its speed beyond any natural hurricane. Clouds stream past like long trains of smoke all heading to one site. A flash of black streaming through the clouds was the only sign of something fighting against the unnatural weather.

"Bruce do you copy!" Terry McGinnis yells over the noise of the wind, holding onto the steering wheel of the plane with an unwavering death grip, his face unmasked for once, sweat sliding down his brow.

"I'm here." A gruff voice answers from the console.

"I was too late. There was nothing I could do." Terry yells towards the dashboard.

"Are you certain? Was there a focal point to the black-hole?"

Terry keeps his gaze fixed towards the horizon not looking towards where he knew there was a camera. "No there wasn't one."

"Then you couldn't have done anything anyways." Somehow Terry could hear the almost soft reply over the buffeting wind. "I've managed to counter act the interference with the plane's tracer. About 30 miles ahead is a valley. Land in it."

"Have you gone off the deep end!" Terry glares at the console, teeth clenched with the strain of holding the plane steady.

"Land!" Bruce barks sharply allowing no argument.

"Fine! Not that it matters." Terry struggles with the steering wheel for a moment as the plane fights the overwhelmingly strong wind but reaches the ground safely. "I'm on the ground." Terry barks back at the console.

"There's a switch under the console, directly under the forward missiles Button. Flip that switch. Quickly!" The elderly man orders.

Reaching under he grabs ahold of the near invisible switch, "Got it" he flips it.

Terry's eyes fill with a near blinding light blue and white energy as an odd almost tickling sensation surrounds him. As soon as it appears it's gone. Blinking rapidly to adjust to its abrupt absence. To Terry's surprise he's met with the sight of the inside of the bat cave. Opening the hatch of the plane he quickly moves towards the Main computer which Bruce was quickly typing away at.

"What was that!?" Terry asks a little shocked over the abrupt move over multiple time zones.

"Old League transporter system. The satellites are still in orbit, just not used." The older man states, not even looking away from the computer's screen.

"I thought the government tracks stuff like that now." Knowing the old man enough, Terry didn't even bother to question if it was legal or not.

Bruce pulls up multiple video feeds onto the computer screen. He was looking at what seemed to be over two dozen old radio towers. "Yes they do. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Does this mean they'll be able to track us down now?" Terry says coughing slightly, it was getting harder to breathe.

The retired Batman grunts and points towards a nearby cabinet, "Your loosing sight of the real problem. Unless you can build a machine as complicated as a plane in mere minutes there will be no government to track us down. Even as weak as this black hole is, the atmosphere is going to be gone within the next ten minutes." He left unsaid what was going to follow.

Terry listens and opens the small metal doors. Realizing exactly why he was directed towards the cabinet, he pulls out two oxygen tanks, places a mask from one over his face, turns the valves of the two tanks and hands over the other mask to the elderly detective.

"Computer Protocol number 91939, authorize!" The old man barks at the machine.

"Protocol number 91939, engaged. System at 10%... System ready in 2 minutes 3 seconds" comes a nondescript artificial female voice from the terminal. Bruce gaze flits across multiple screens watching surging power readings underneath seemingly corresponding video feeds of the old radio towers. Flashes of blue electricity race across the almost invisible metal cables attached to the towers.

"What is all this Wayne." Terry was a little tired of being kept out of the loop even if it was almost a common occurrence when it came to some of Bruce's old tech.

"It's a last line of defense." Bruce says grimly, "It's for a situation where the end of the world is inevitable. I created this system around the time Powers was trying to takeover Wayne Tech originally so I wasn't able to implement it in other locations. I at least was able to insure I could save MY city when and if a day like this would come." He finishes with a possessive simi-growl.

A whine catches the teenager's attention, looking around quickly he spots Ace on the ground his head between his paws. He was panting weakly. At the sight a quick thought occurs to the young hero, everyone is in a similar condition "Mom, Matt, Dana, Max!"

Almost as if to answer him the computer states "Estimated full power in 30 seconds."

"If they're in the city they'll be fine in a minute." Bruce says as he continues to reroute power to the towers. "I suggest sitting down. This is going to be disorienting."

"10...9...8...7..." the female voice begins to countdown.

Terry sits down into the usually unused chair nearby and looks at the video feed that was front and center on the massive screen. It was old Wayne tower in the historic district.

An arc of what seemed like Blue lightning was shooting directly into the heavens from the metal peak of the building. On the other screens something similar was happening with the radio towers. As each second pasts the light was getting brighter. "... 5.. 4..."

"Here goes nothing..." Bruce says under his breath.

The Sky suddenly lights up with what looks like a giant crooked spiderweb made of blue lightning. "2... 1..."

Everything around them becomes near blindingly bright. Something shifts ... then everything becomes dark.

* * *

_**Author's**_** Note:** Originally I was ONLY going to have them save Matt. If I remember correctly he was kidnapped at some point and a character like Batman (both of them)would probably have a tracer placed on him from that point on just to be on the safe side. I was going to have them teleport him directly to the cave and Bruce would try to get them to go through a portal. Terry would have of course realize he's trying to stay behind because of guilt at not predicting the disaster, he'd grab Bruce and literally blast into the portal with the two. Then I remembered Ace the dog. Terry can't grab all three at once and I just couldn't let them leave Ace to die. Who can resist those puppy eyes? Then there was the little acknowledged thing known as Batman's boy scout moto (of course no one really calls him a boy scout, since Superman has the more obvious gee golly personality that fits a boy scout better and batman has anything but). He's always prepared... so wouldn't he have something like a doomsday failsafe protocol? Yeah, I thought he would too.

I'm not going to stick to some timeline when it comes to the Batman Beyond universe. I'm just going to use the (It's AU) excuse because I'm not going to look up every tinny tiny detail when it comes to something as timeline.

As for the black hole thing in this chapter well I recently watched the JLU episode 'The greatest tale never told' and I was thinking ... what if the black hole wasn't centered on some guy's stomach but in the middle of the air somewhere? What if there wasn't a convenient device that could fix everything in time or even a scientist 'in the know' that wasn't already sucked up in it? Yeah the JL world would be gone, no if ands or buts.

Anyways like all my stories consider all updates a miracle. (*looks up* I think I over did the AN *shrugs* *walks off*)


	2. A New Day of Trouble

_**Disclaimer: I do not own this shit (DC universe not the storyline)**_

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It was a credit to how often peaceful days were interrupted with a major catastrophe, that when the alarms went off J'onn mearly approached the specific monitoring station, pause the mars-lights on red to indicate an emergency, mute the alarm and quickly shift scan through the incoming data.

"What's the emergency?" Flash says as a quick burst of wind moves over the platform. He always runs when the alarms go off.

Reading the message J'onn pulls up a map of North America, he magnifies it a couple of times till the majority of the map is a marked red area. "A extremely large unknown energy field just appeared on the sensors. It's very close to Gotham and seems to be larger then the city itself."

Flash looks through the data, completely serious for once, "Bats isn't going to be happy about this."

"I'm not" came Batman's voice behind the two. Flash almost jumps but catches himself. They look towards the sound to find the monitor behind the two active and showing Batman in what seemed to be the cockpit of one of his vehicles. "I know about the situation and I know what your going to ask. Get a team ready." it went unsaid how serious he thought the situation was. Among superheros, Batman was notorious in refusing League interference with Gotham affairs. Here he was practically demanding it.

J'onn not batting an eyelash, asks all business, "Can you tell us anything about the area the energy appears to be coming from?"

"Dearborn Valley is nothing but old strip mines and infertile soil. It's been estimated that 10% of the world's hard metals originated from the area. It's how Gotham began. It was easier to ship the metals over the few miles to the harbor to be processed and shipped then to move them directly to an already existing city. It's been abandoned for over 50 years now. The only reason people go out there is to dump something or for the police to hunt for a body. It's a complete wasteland, that not even the government is willing to deal with it. It's a very large uninhabited area where someone could do almost anything." Batman didn't seem happy about the general state of affairs connected to the area.

Shifting the general information of the emergency to other monitor stations at the waiting level of the room J'onn turns back to Batman's monitor, "Any theories?"

"Yours would probably be as good as mine at this point. Knowing the nature of the valley I'd guess someone dumped something that disagreed with the area. I wouldn't discount anything at this point though. If the Atom is available send him along with the team. We might need his technical expertise." Batman scowls lightly. "I'm sending a set of coordinates now. Have the team meet me there. Batman out."

"Copy that. Watchtower out." J'onn says as he turns towards the crowd of waiting heroes on the lower deck. All were observing the watch station or reading the incoming information on the various monitoring stations along the sides of the massive room. There was a general low murmur throughout the room from the various conversations going on.

"Attention everyone." he calls out as the room quiets, everyone waiting his decision. "As you might know there is a possible global emergency near Gotham. Batman is leading this mission. The following are to meet up with him at predetermined coordinates; Atom, Supergirl, Flash, Green Lantern. Mission briefing here before you leave. Everyone else is to be on standby till the scope of the situation has been investigated."

"Hey what about Supes?" Flash asks curiously from behind him.

J'onn types a series of commands to get the current energy readings, "He's on a space mission and isn't due back till sometime tonight."

"Ahh alright but he was always curious about what type of mission would cause Bats to actually ask for a team assist. He's going to be upset that he missed it!" Flash says thoughtfully.

"If it's as big a problem as it seems, I seriously doubt he'll be upset he missed it, Wally." Green Lantern says as he reaches the top of the stairs.

"So what's the mission?" Super Girl asks as she comes up with everyone else called.

Green Lantern gives the two a considering look before turning back towards J'onn, "Before we talk about the specifics are you sure you want both Wally and Kara on the same mission? Both of them have a bad habit of leaping into fights without the team."

"Hey hey hey, don't be telling tall tales John." Flash says as he slings a supportive arm around Kara's shoulder, "I clearly run" he points to himself, "and she clearly flies." he indicates the blond under his arm, "See no leaping involved. That whole leaping over buildings thing is Superman's territory. We clearly don't do that." he states in a mock serious manner.

Kara rolls her eyes shrugging Flashes arm off her shoulder before giving Green Lantern a glare but otherwise stays quiet.

J'onn ignores Flash and turns to Green Lantern, "Batman is the team leader for this mission. I'm sure he can deal with their... unique personalities." he answers diplomatically. "Now the mission...

* * *

Terry wakes to a steady rumble that he recognized as Bruce's voice, "... you're going to have problems with communications for awhile so I suggest getting word out now to your men. It's only going to get worse till the merging process is complete."

Terry gets his arms under himself and pushes up off the floor of the cave. There was no way of knowing how often a bat used any one patch of the cave's surface for it's business. That and how cold and uncomfortable it is was good enough reason never to use it for an impromptu napping area again. How Bruce kept the place looking even semi clean, not to mention outright pristine clean, was one of those mysteries he'd probably never find out. "Thanks for the heads up." Commissioner Barbara Gordon's voice sound out from the other side of the Communicator.

"I'll keep in touch.." Bruce finishes reaching towards a button on the terminal.

"Wait Bruce.." the elderly man's hand pauses over the button, "If I were you, I'd start preparing for the backlash now. And.." she takes a deep breath" ...for what it's worth, Thank you." she finishes quietly.

Bruce nods at the screen and presses the off button. He turns around towards Terry, "Awake I see."

"How long was I out?" Terry asks not really sure of the answer.

"Only a couple of minutes longer then myself. You had a long day..." Bruce says softly turning back to the console.

"... I hear a silent 'but' at the end of that sentence. It's about to get longer isn't it?" Terry retorts already guessing the answer.

"Do you really need to ask. I need you to contact Maxine, she needs to gather your mother and brother and bring them to the mansion. Make sure she relays that they should pack everything personal." Bruce states matter of fact-ly.

"Are you sure you want them here? Can't we make it seem like I was fired awhile ago or something? It'll be nearly impossible to keep this little side job a secret from them if they're in the house. I thought you wanted me to keep this secret for as long as possible?"

"It can't be helped. This is too big and many won't care if you are no longer employed by me. You'll still be a target for information. As soon as the public discover what has happened, no matter the fact it may have saved their collective lives, certain parties are going to lash out. I have no family so they're going to go after myself and those close to me. That means you as my personal assistant and your family are going to be prime targets. Luckily we have at least 72 hours till things on that front will start coming to a head." Bruce says candidly.

Terry releases a pent-up breath, "Got it. You know when Mom finds out about this she just might try to kill you right?"

"I'll make sure to inform her that you broke in and stole the suit in the first place." Bruce replies casually not even slightly intimidated by the thought of a murderous Mrs. McGinnis.

"You're all heart, Wayne." Terry sighs heavily, "Anyways speaking of what happened, what did you do?"

Bruce takes a deep breath, "As you know the world was about to be absorbed into a black hole." Terry looks at the reflection in the monitor in front of Bruce. The elderly man looked deeply shaken. "I merely took Gotham out of it."

"..out of it... I don't understand... out of the black hole?" Terry couldn't quite believe what he thought Bruce was implying. There couldn't be a way for someone to take a whole city could there? Gotham was too big and too solid for something like that. Not even with Superman's strength could someone accomplish that... right?

"Everything outside of Gotham city is gone Terry. I moved the city elsewhere." Bruce says quietly his voice wavering slightly with emotion. Terry didn't know many people outside of Gotham but the news retched something inside of him. The justice league... friends that he went to school with that he knew moved away... people he knew who usually spent the day outside of the city... all of them were gone.

Turning to the old man Terry suddenly wanted to scream at him that he was wrong that it couldn't be, that he was crazy, but he stopped. The undisguised look of devastation through the man's reflection made Terry pause.

How many people did the old man know outside the city? He, Terry hardly ever left it, but the old man spent countless years traveling on an almost weekly basis in and out of the city. How many friends did he just loose? After spending years trying to save the world how would it feel to have your life work, all those people he fought for.. just gone.

Terry couldn't begin to guess but he knew that Bruce didn't deserve to be yelled at for this.

"Where is the city then?" he asks trying to get Bruce to concentrate on the facts, right now he knew Bruce enough to know that he would want grief to wait.

"We're safe for now." Bruce gruff reply didn't supply any answers. His face quickly blanks out as he pulls himself together, "We'll discuss the particulars later. Batman is needed." He says pointing to a monitor, his grief repressed for the moment. There was what seemed to be the beginning of a riot downtown. "Get moving."

"I'm on it.." Terry says as he rushes to the bat mobile and into he city.

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Author's Note: Humm can anyone name some of the future heroes other then Static Shock, Gear and the Justice league members? Not far future but BB timeline? Anyways thanks in advance!


	3. Puzzles and Shock

_**I do not own the DC universe.**_

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Everything was going to hell. There was no other word for it.

It was a typical Saturday morning for Max. She woke up to a disgustingly sunny and bright morning. (How anyone can be cheerful with the glare first thing in the morning she'd never know) She slipped into her customary tank top and jeans and went to the kitchen for breakfast. Half way through a bowl of cereal she noticed the first thing out-of-place.

In the distance the clouds were acting oddly. She knew she wasn't an expert but they were moving at an oddly fast pace and in a straight line. She watched closely and she noticed the tallest buildings in the distance seemed to be swaying.

Gotham wasn't a place that had much extreme weather. Hurricanes usually didn't hit this far north, the land wasn't a tornado magnet like the Midwest. About all they had was some drastic raining or snowing spells. This was something else.

Max didn't know what made her do it but she cautiously approached the window. Most buildings built in Neo-Gotham were only built under an improved building code that required a certain level of sound dampening. Max knew this because of a report she wrote for a class a few years ago about minor laws that inforced things like 'disturbing the peace' so instead of opening it like most people would do, she placed her ear gently on the Dura-Plexiglas to listen.

Under normal circumstances, a windy day or a regular thunder-storm, she wouldn't hear anything. It was very telling that as soon as her ear touched the Plexiglas she heard what had to be the equivalent of a hurricane. Shocked she put her hand against the close to indestructible glass and was greeted with the sight of multiple cracks and the window somehow bowing out towards the direction the clouds were heading.

She barely put any inward pressure on it.

Instincts barely honed kicked in at the right moment as she threw herself to the floor. Not a moment later a sound like a gunshot goes off as she watches the edge of the window give way and disappear into the overpowering wind. Everything smaller than the kitchen chairs fly towards the opening joining the window in the sky as an overwhelming wall of sound erupts into the room.

Laying flat against the wall she could barely believe what just happened even as her breath was taken away from her.

* * *

Flash looked out the window of the Javelin and whistled in awe. It took only about five minutes to get the extra sensory gear into the plane but it felt like forever for someone like him. But with this site perhaps it was worth the wait.

Down in the rocky looking wasteland surrounded by a small range of mountains was what seemed to be a giant bubble of blue crackling light. Inside the blue was what seemed to be a whitish mist like light. He didn't know the technical terms for all of it... it was just a lot of light.

"This might be bigger then we thought." John says from the pilot seat, not able to hide the note of worry in his tone.

The Atom had his brow cresses in thought, "It certainly something to worry about. The color of the Electrical charge isn't natural, it take a lot of energy to maintain something like this."

"Do you think it's to contain something? It's not a perfect sphere." Supergirl points in the distance and sure enough there was what seemed to be a slight corner even if it was pretty much rounded.

"Humm perhaps. It would explain the obvious abnormal energy output." Atom says thoughtfully.

"Well if it's made by someone, that means it probably has a predetermined purpose. That's means someone to fight and perhaps a way of stopping it if it's dangerous." Lantern says.

The Javelin suddenly rocks to the left as the light from the odd energy bubble like field increases suddenly. It was almost blinding.

"Hold on I'm taking us down a little further from the coördinates. We'll have to meet up with Batman on foot. Kara you and I are going to move the sensory equipment to the meet up. Wally you're on messenger duty. When we land go to Batman and find out if there is anything urgent we have to do right now."

"I knew there was a reason J'onn sent us on the same mission. Grunt work!" Flash says with a slight pout not really meaning it.

"It's the quiet ones you have to look out for." Kara says half-jokingly.

"I found a spot to land hold on." the Javelin rocks back and forth for a moment as the joints of the landing gear squeal slightly. The Javelin wasn't landing right. The area was too uneven.

As it settles onto the ground, the cabin of the plane tilts alarmingly to the left.

Opening the door Flash disappears into the distance where everyone could see a familiar black vehicle and figure. The three could see the two talk for a moment till Flash disappears from out of the distance and reappears next to them.

"Okay Bats needs the entire Javelin over there, the plane's electrical system has shielding that he needs for some of the equipment. He wants you John to bring it. Atom he needs you over there ASAP. Kara he needs you to take this communicator to Gotham and contact the watch station and send every available hero to Gotham. There is a lot of interference this close to that thing and he can't contact the station. You're also to contact the Mayor and the Commissioner and have them issue an evacuation order of everything south of Main. Apparently if this thing blows part of Gotham goes with it. As soon as at least a team gets there you're to get back here. Bats thinks we might need heavy support." he hands over a small device to Supergirl. Not hesitating she flies off towards the distant city at a speed exceeding the sound barrier.

Atom quickly boards the Javelin as Green Lantern lifts it and himself into the air. Lantern turns towards Flash as they fly (and Flash runs along below) towards the distant black clad figure. "What are you going to be doing?"

"Got to put up sensors all around the thing. With communications out I have to run to them to get updates to what they say. I'm going to be a glorified messenger for probably the whole mission!" Flash gives Green Lantern a slightly perturbed look, "You jinxed me GL!"

* * *

Max wasn't exactly certain of when she lost consciousness. She remembered having problems breathing then nothing.

When she opened her eyes she was almost surprised the room was clean. With the noise and devastation that happened to the side of her apartment she half expected there to be dirt and little bits of glass everywhere. Or at least a lot more damage to the wall. No it was amazingly clean. The wind took care of that apparently. That and every little knickknack she had lying around.

The window was gone and much of the wall. The part she sheltered behind was still there and the street was visible. People were walking outside in what she barely recognized as a daze.

Was she like that now? What exactly happened?

It didn't make any sense to her. She recognized that she was having problems thinking. Did the lack of Oxygen somehow effect her thinking? Was she in shock? Liking the latter thought a lot more than the former, she quickly checks her pulse...

Yeah she was a little shocky. Accelerated pulse, sweaty skin, her hands were shaky... It wasn't surprising. How do you treat shock anyways? If she was thinking clearly she was sure she would remember... breathing exercises?

She wasn't sure but it doesn't sound like a bad idea. She probably needed the extra air anyways. Now if only she could remember if she's suppose to inhale through the mouth or nose for the excercise she'd be set.

Sitting indian style she decides to just breath through everything. It felt nice to breath... It's always amazing how much you can miss something as simple as breathing after that something was taken away.

Taking another breath Max draws herself away from consciously calming herself as a small sound draws her attention. Looking down towards it she couldn't help the slight bit of surprise of realizing that it was her phone in her pocket that was ringing.

She must really be out of it not to realize right away.

"Hel.." there was a lump in her throat, she quickly clears it, "Hello?"

"Max, you okay?" it was Terry.

"Yea.. Yeah, I think so. I think I'm in a little shock ya'know? Do you know what happened?" Max asks still shaking a bit, very much not herself.

"It was a black-hole Max." And just like that Max came back to herself. It did explain everything... well except how they were alive. As a matter of fact that was an excellent question. Someone should probably ask him that.

"Mind telling how we're alive and not compressed into Jelly?" Max asks in a tone she thought was calm and collected considering. She knew it wasn't though. Her hands and voice definitely were still shaking.

"The old man had a failsafe." Terry says like it was a perfectly normal thing for eighty year old men to do the completely and utterly impossible. Then again said eighty year old was the original Batman so it probably was every day occurence for Terry.

"Err O-kay... and how exactly did he do that?" It had to be asked.

There was a pause on the other side of the line. "Just look outside in the sky. I don't really have time to answer questions and I don't really understand it myself. I was calling because I need someone to check on Mom and Matt if you're willing. The old Man thinks they need to be brought to the mansion. He thinks there's going to be a backlash from saving the city and they're going to get caught in it. The mansion's security is a lot stronger than the apartment's. I would do it myself but there's a lot of people panicking. There's even a riot down town right now."

Sticking her head out the wall of the apartment she looks upwards towards the sky. A dome of Blue crackling light was over head. "I see what you mean about the sky. Way Schway, I want to ask him about the science behind that." She stops and looks at the phone. "Why don't you just call your Mom? I'm sure she'd go to Wayne's if you asked."

There's a snort over the line, "You're forgetting the phone Max, remember?" Mr. Wayne gave her what he mentions was a specialized phone a couple of months ago. She never really figured out what was so special about it. "It's designed to work in extreme interference. Mom's phone isn't." Ah so that was it.

"Okay I'll go and get your Mom and brother and drag them to the Mansion. I wouldn't mind talking to the old man anyways. Be careful downtown." Max says almost completely back to herself.

"Aren't I always?" Max rolls her eyes as she hangs up.

* * *

**Author Note:** Not a single review yet? I knew this wasn't a really looked at category but still... geez. Not even a "you suck !" note. Oh well. It's kinda refreshing not getting reviewers or trolls. I feel absolutely no pressure to update this. But still it's kinda nice to get review once in a while. Maybe if I take it off 'M' rating you think? I don't think this is going to have that type of material in it anyways but I like to be cautious. Anyways thanks to everyone that put this on alert and favorites! Hope you enjoy. Wouldn't mind a quick 'please update' or an actual constructive review. Hope you like the chapter!


	4. On the Ground

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the DC**_**_ universe_.**

* * *

Later Max would say that she was in too much of a daze to realize what she was doing but in actuality she didn't want to remember her mindset on leaving her apartment. She took a moment for herself to run through the apartment to grab a few things. Things she absolutely knew she didn't want to part with or things she just knew she would need. She didn't ask but she was going to camp in one of Wayne's guest rooms. If the sounds out in the streets were any indication the city wasn't safe at all and she was missing a wall.

Knowing the situation she probably live in the cave for the next week or so anyways, even if her apartment wasn't totaled.

Stepping into the street she couldn't help but pause at the chaos on the pavement.

There was a couple locked in a tight embrace, tears running down their faces. A few other people were standing around what seemed to be a man with a broken leg. There was a woman hyperventilating not far from them, clearly in a panic. A group of men were pushing a car out of the center of the road, grunting from the exertion.

The street was covered with hundreds of little items that were recently anything but trash. A family photo, a top of the line computer (smashed), a car wheel complete with axil and many other things.

"Hey move your car lady! People need to get to the hospital." a man shouts at a gray-haired woman who was shaking behind the wheel of a nearby car.

Seeing the familiar look of near panic, and spotting the skid marks on the pavement that probably happened during the transition to where ever the city was taken too, Max realized she was in the same state of shock that she had been in just minutes before. The woman needed to get herself together but she also needed to move, people were in trouble.

Knocking on the window Max draws her attention, "Hey there's a parking spot over there, I'm sure no one will mind if you use it till you calm down. People need the road." She says pointing to the space just a few feet away.

The woman took a moment to look at Max in confusion but nods jerkily, "I..I yeah... Umm thank you. I think I will." The woman says putting her car in gear, she was clearly just going through the motions.

Watching for a moment to make sure the woman didn't gun the engine or anything Max quickly starts down the street. The further she went the more instances of panicked or injured Gothamites she came across. She even saw a few people taking advantage of the situation to swipe things from store fronts and house windows.

It wasn't long till she spots someone on the ground without anyone else helping them. She knew she had a job to do but she just couldn't walk away from someone who was probably dying.

Approaching the person she couldn't help but recoil as she spots the abnormal neck angle.

"You can't help him." a voice says behind her. Looking around a small girl about 7 or 8 years old was sitting on the curb pointing in the distance. "The wind caught him." She says solemnly. Max looks in the direction and a wave of horror washes over her. The girl was pointing at a highrise balcony at least 40 stories up. With the way the girl was acting... she probably saw it happen...

"Attention!", A loud echoing voice says, Max quickly narrows down where the voice was coming from. It was a police cruiser over towards the roof of a nearby department store. "This is a city-wide announcement! As of 9:15 this morning a state of emergency has been declared and the city is officially under a state of Martial Law. Unfortunately all exits to the city are not in operation. All citizens are to return to their residences, hotels, to a local shelter, or if injured the local hospital or clinic immediately. All fees for public transportation are waved until 6 this evening. Those who wish to volunteer for local rescue efforts or clean up are to report to your local police precinct. Repeat, Martial Law has been declared, All citizens are to return to their residences, hotels, to a local shelter or to a local hospital."

All exits were blocked huh? The commissioner was obviously trying to keep people from flooding the streets to get out. Max looks away from the cop car as it flies away and back towards the girl, she couldn't do much for her. She was probably going to need therapy after all this, "You near home?" There was an echo in the distance of the police cruiser giving the announcement again to another area.

The girl nods, "Momma's crying.." she points to an apartment building behind her.

"I want you to go inside and go to your mother and stay there. A lot of people are scared and sometimes when people are scared they do bad things and you don't want to be out here. Understand?" Max orders and the girl thankfully nods, turns around and goes into the building presumingly to join her mother within.

Turning away Max begins to run. Terry was probably doing a lot for the city right now. Possibly saving hundreds of lives. He deserved to know that while he was doing that at least his family was alright.

Max reaches Terry's house "Mrs. McGinnis! Matt? Are you there?" she calls out looking through the thick fogged glass on either side of the door.

Not getting an answer or seeing anything, she quickly fishes into her pocket and pulls out the set of keys Terry trusted her with months ago.

The windows weren't blown out at least..

"Mrs. McGinnis?" Max calls, running into the livingroom in time to hear a soft sob from the other side of the couch.

"Matt?" the ebony haired kid was sitting next to his mother, whom was on the ground unconscious. He was holding onto a phone receiver crying.

"Max! The phone's not working! Mom fell and won't wake up!" Matt pleads, despite for help.

Moving swiftly to the two she kneels down next to Mrs. McGinnis. Placing a couple of fingers on her neck Max releases a small pent-up breath as she feels a strong heart beat. "She's breathing and her heart's beating right...Did she hit something when she fell, Matt?" she asks.

"I don't know I couldn't think straight. There was no air ya'know?" Matt replies softly not looking away from his mother. "Is she going to be alright Max?" He seemed a little calmer then a moment before.

Max gently probes around Mrs. McGinnis' head. Feeling something slightly damp Max pulls her hand back. There wasn't much but there was a very small bit of blood on the tip of her fingers. "She hit her head... probably on the coffee table." She replies looking at what was around the older woman.

Picking up her phone she quickly dials a number. The other line picks up. "What is it?" A gruff voice asks to the point.

"Mrs. McGinnis is hurt. She hit her head and isn't waking up. She needs help and emergency isn't picking up." She says without preamble, she would normally make a half-snide remark about not saying hello, but in the situation it didn't even occur to her.

"The hospitals are swamped at the moment anyways. She won't be seeing a doctor for hours," comes the gruff reply. Wayne hums for a moment thinking, "I may not have a degree but I have some experience and the needed equipment. The car's on the way."

"Wayne the streets are flooded. The car isn't going to get through that." Max states rationally.

"It's programmed not to use the streets." he states. Max snorts lightly, of course he would have a car with illegal hovering capabilities. Only emergency vehicles or specially licenced transports were allowed to be equiped with those. He probably just shrug off the hefty ticket he no doubt going to get. "Anyways that's not important. If she hit her head hard enough, she might have a neck injury. This is what you need to do..."

* * *

Ten feet from the vertical wall of blue crackling light, the rocky uneven soil of the wasteland was covered in a practical sea of wires. Panels, monitors, consoles and what Flash was certain was a miniature super-computer tower. He knew that Batman was only in the area for about ten minutes more than them but how someone whom could only work at regular human speed could do all this, this fast, truly baffled him. Bats probably had some sort of training exercise in setting something like this up. It would honestly not surprise Flash. It seemed like something he would do.

"These readings are rather abnormal." Atom says looking over one of the monitors scanning through what seemed to be information from the super computer. "I've calculated the difference in mass and these readings are not nearly enough to signify a mass of energy of this size. There was a similar but smaller sphere created at Star Labs a year ago. If I had to theorize, I believe this is in fact a containment field of some kind instead of a solid mass of energy."

"A containment field can be used for any number of things. Try to get a reading on the inside it may give us a clue into what we're dealing with." Super Girl suggests looking over a different console and monitor.

"A lot easier said then done," Atom reply holding up a small sensory tool that they used to probe the field. It's end was a complete melted mass.

"I'm having problems getting this sludge sample in focus." Green Lantern says looking though a microscope. Earlier he noticed that along where the energy field met the outside environment, there seemed to be a slight film of sludge forming on the ground.

Grimly Batman goes to the Javelin and comes back with another microscope. Taking the slide from Green Lantern's Microscope, he places it under the lens. A minute later after adjusting the microscope, his brow furrowed, he goes to a beaker with the rest of the sample. To the surprise of the others he takes off a glove and touches the outside of the beaker leaving a smudged set of fingerprints on the glass. His hand finches backwards and he narrows his eyes at the glass. Thinking for a moment he picks up a set of tweezers from a nearby counter and bends down to the soil right under his feet. He pinches a couple of grains of sand and place them on he slide, adjusting the focus again.

A moment later he looks up towards the others, "It's in focus now, but I can't tell what it is. I think only Flash will be able to tell." he says grimly.

"So what's the deal with the beaker and sand?" Flash asks curiously as he goes over towards the microscope and sits down.

"I couldn't focus the sample either for some reason. I'm experienced with this specific equipment, I use it everyday, so I know when it should be in focus. So I tested a theory. Fast movement would be one of the reasons for not being able to see something in focus. When molecules of almost anything is moving at a fast rate it means it's heated. I tested that theory and it panned out. I used the sand because it's stationary. It makes it possible to bring the sample in focus even at its accelerated speed." He explains his reasoning.

"Cool Bats!" Flash turns to the microscope. "I assume you want me to look at it using speed force huh?"

"Don't break the microscope." Batman growls.

"Okay lets see what we got. I knew that degree in Forensics would come in handy," Flash says with a cheeky grin. Tapping lightly into the speed force he squints into the lens. Watching carefully he stops tapping into the speed force after only three seconds or so. Which considering everything is virtually standing still when tapping into speedforce, it was quite awhile, "Okay that's a problem."

Batman lifts a brow clearly indicated that he wanted him to explain.

"Err well it's a variety of ordinary germs, Amoebas, bacteria etc." Flash scratches the back of his head lightly, "They're living through their life cycle at an extremely accelerated rate and that isn't all. Some of them look like their going backwards."

"Flash how can you tell if an amoeba is moving backwards or not?" Green Lantern asks skeptically. "It doesn't have a head."

Flash smiles awkwardly "Err well I noticed that a couple of them actually merged. A lot of Amoeba split to reproduce. The two I saw not only merged but afterwards the 'combined them' shrunk , or maybe de-aged, and then merged with another and then another. I watched it for quite a few life cycles."

"So the energy we can't get an exact reading on is similar to the speed force?" Super Girl asks.

Batman nods grimly, "Add the few clues we have and it explains everything. The energy levels that are not nearly enough for anything but a shell. The energy's placement in a wasteland with no inhabitants. Super speed if not outright light speed involved. The residue energy causing the amoebas to grow forwards and backwards." Batman glares up at the energy field, "Time travel."

Green Lantern looks down the wall in both directions. "Too large of a field for just a couple of travelers. You think it's an invasion force?" It wasn't an impossible thought, it was a huge area. Enough to hold Millions of soldiers if it was an invasion force.

"Perhaps." Batman turns towards Atom "If the containment field is used to fuel an explosion how large would the radius extend?"

Atom looks towards the monitors quickly and picks up a nearby calculator and quickly calculates the radius. "Only about a half mile in any direction. It'll only hit the outskirts of Gotham if that. Whatever the energy is however there is no doubt that it's output is decreasing gradually. At its current rate, I say we have about 48 hours till the field is completely gone."

"I think you're wrong about that whole invasion force thing GL." Flash says looking away from the group towards the containment field in thought. There was something about the confidence in his voice that drew attention immediately.

Batman narrows his eyes at the speedster, correctly guessing 'how' Flash was looking at the area, "What do you see?"

"You know how it looks like a solid wall of different lights? Well you gave me a good idea with the sludge slide. I tapped into the speed-force and looked at it and well, it isn't." Flash explains, "It's actually looks like ropes of light running along the parameter and I can see in between those ropes." He looks away from the dome towards the others, "There are hundreds of buildings inside; it's a city and if the half-dozen trails of smoke rising from it is any indication, it's one that's in trouble." he finishes solemnly.

* * *

Author Note: I'm not going to write much more with Max I think... at the moment she's just the person that's on the streets and I think that point of view really needs to be expressed at this point of time. That and I'm not really good with the whole science half of things. I hope the second half of this chapter didn't sound completely stupid and contrived. Anyways thanks for the reviews! I usually don't ask for them but it's nice to have them as a measuring stick once in a while. Sometimes I'm not really sure if what I'm writing is hashing out properly. As for the reviewer that mentioned length... well I'm horrendous at writing over 3,000 words a chapter. I don't know what it is... I have some sort of block, I guess. Chapters I write over that much just feel over done to me.

On a side note I should mention that all I did was watch a couple of episodes, of each series, from Netflix and the story so far has practically written itself. I don't have a planned storyline. I'm writing as I go. That being said anyone watch Flashpoint Paradox? I highly recommend it. Awesomely twisted storyline. And bloody...


	5. Matt and the Mayor

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond or Justice**_** League**

* * *

Normally Matt would be at the edge of his seat. A car flying on autopilot was not something to sneeze at for a kid his age. It wasn't something a kid saw everyday. It was something his classmates would brag about, something that they wouldn't be quiet about for at least a week. If Matt was in normal form he would have ranked it almost as cool as the time he was saved by Batman.

Right now however, there was just his mother. There was no cool autodriving car, Terry's friend wasn't there, no trip to the mysterious mansion of Mr. Wayne, just his obviously hurt mother.

"I think she'll be alright Matt." Max's voice penetrates the fog that seemed to be surrounding his senses, "She doesn't have any of the signs that Mr. Wayne said to watch out for." Max says reassuringly.

With the sentence a bit of the fog fades along with the worry causing it, but it was far from gone. It was enough however to let his thoughts wander a bit away from his mother to his surroundings and to where they were going, to the car silently gliding through the woods that were unnaturally dark for mid-morning.

Max seeing him look outside at the dark trees, breaks through his thoughts, "Huh.. it's bringing us towards the... back entrance." She pauses a minute looking at Matt. Matt couldn't help but hear the slight emphasis on the words 'back entrance'. "... Alright Matt it seems you and your Mom are going to be allowed to know a pretty big secret. You'll probably get a big lecture from Mr. Wayne but let me be the first one to say this.. This secret isn't a game. Lives are at stake. Your life, your mother's life, Mr. Wayne's life, Terry's, Mine and countless others are at stake. You can't share this secret at all. Not with your teachers, not with your friends, not even with your very very best friend, understand?"

Matt couldn't help but look at her in a daze, "Secret?" What type of secret can someone like Mr. Wayne have? The idea was crazy. The old guy had to use a cane to just walk. He was ancient. Terry had to drive him everywhere, do everything for him. Sometimes Mr. Wayne was so helpless that Terry wouldn't show up back home till the very early hours of the morning. Sometimes he even suspected that Terry was just getting back in when he, Matt was just waking. Would someone who needed enough attention that they should be in a nursing home, really have some all important secret that could cost a lot of people there lives?

Thinking about it Matt couldn't really think of a reason... Well maybe if it was something from the far past. Maybe Mr. Wayne had some huge treasure or something... but Matt somehow didn't think so. Doesn't everyone already know that Mr. Wayne is super rich? More money probably wouldn't put everyone in more danger.. maybe Mr. Wayne himself would be in more danger, but everyone else?

Thinking about it for a second, Matt realized he still didn't really know what Terry did all the time for Mr. Wayne. Terry said gofer but doesn't a gofer go to places like offices? And aren't offices closed after a certain time? Matt knew this after all because this was one of the things her Mom and Dad fought about before they separated. His dad was always late coming home from the office and the time he used to come home was WAY earlier then Terry does now. There was something odd about that..

"Does it have something to do with why Terry's always really late getting home?" Matt asks, knowing it wasn't quite a shot in the dark but it was close. It felt like it might be part of a secret.

"Most definitely... and here we come to the entrance." Max says as Matt looks ahead trying to spot the door.

A spike of alarm shoots down Matt's spine as he spots a very solid rock wall ahead... "Uhh Max ... something wrong with the navigation system! We're heading towards that rock wall!"

Max gives the wide-eyed kid a slight smirk, which goes unnoticed and says casually, "Oh what do you know... guess were going to crash huh?"

Matt turns, gives the teen a disbelieving look but quickly turns back towards the front watching the approaching rock wall in horror. He braces himself for impact... that never comes.

Matt heart jumps in wonder as the wall opens up into a lightened tunnel. He had been through tunnels throughout the city via the main freeways and such but this one was by far more advanced than any of the others. Along the walls were countless sensors and panels.

A slight chuckle by his side draws him partly out of shock. Turning towards Max he gives her an annoyed glare. "I'm so getting you back for that!" he says shock still evident in his voice.

Max snorts lightly, "You can try." She watches the kid's face with a touch of amusement. She never had the chance to see someone else find out Terry's little secret.

The car reaches the end of the tunnel. Matt looks through the window at the new area in complete incomprehension. Computer terminals were lined along rough rock walls showing maps and video feeds. Another group of monitors were showing what seemed to be energy readings. A quiet audio feed was coming from one of the panels. Matt could barely recognize it as the sound of a police scanner. It was turned down but the volume didn't quite cover the occasional panicked voice talking over the radio waves.

But what really drew his attention was off to the side. It was a collection of the oddest items he had ever seen in his life. A giant old fashion penny, what seemed to be a frozen dinosaur statue or something, costumes of all makes and shapes... and along the wall.. a particular costume stood ominously, even as dark as it was it stood out among it fellows, a black, pointed cowl and cape adorned the dummy holding it up. No one in Gotham could mistake that particular form. Batman...

This was a cave and He, Matt was in the **BAT-CAVE!**

He didn't know how to take this news. He just couldn't think straight. Batman was a local legend, a near mythical figure. Some said he wasn't even human. He met him once but still... WAit why was he IN the Bat-cave?!

"Max?!" he gasps turning towards the teen next to him.

The car stopped without him noticing. Mr. Wayne was at the open doorway leaning over a gurney looking into his mother's eyes with a pen light. He knew he was out of it if they moved her without him realizing. The two ignore him.

Mr. Wayne grunts quietly, drawing Maxine's attention. He points towards what seemed to be the main computer terminal. "Get to the monitors and watch his back, I'll deal with this."

Matt had only heard the old man's voice a couple of times but this time it didn't remind him of a kindly grandfather. Mr. Wayne's voice showed his age but with those few words his voice had a residence to it that instinctively Matt recognized belonged to someone very dangerous. It had a snap of command to it, the tone even made Matt want to get up and rush towards the monitors with Max.

Everything suddenly fit together. He was in the Bat-cave. Terry was always out all night. This man, so helpless before, was suddenly someone who Matt was very reluctant to cross. Someone who had been around a long time... just like Batman. He was Batman!

Terry was the young Batman... and this deceptively congenial man was the previous Batman.

Old man Wayne looks up at him as if sensing his thoughts. His sky blue eyes send a chill down Matt's spine. It felt like he had no secrets from him. That he was completely exposed. "What are you waiting for? You're with me. Move it!"

Matt rushes to comply without even thinking about it.

* * *

"Please tell me you are not serious!"

It was over eight hours ago. Eight hours since every last resident of Neo-Gotham found themselves regaining consciousness. Eight hours of scrambling, eight hours of calling every last reinforcement available. Eight hours of deputizing police academy students with only half of their education, eight hours of contacting every last national guard member within the city. Eight hours of dealing with blood, screaming citizens, traffic accidents, fires, rioting and phones that wouldn't stop ringing. An eight-hour logistical hell. Eight hours of avoiding this very meeting.

"I wish I was." Commissioner Barbara Gordon states calmly. She doubt anyone even Bruce himself could go through this same day, at least from her point of view, and come out of it unscathed. She knew her neat bob of white hair was probably flying in every direction, her clothes were rumpled, and her head was throbbing with a massive headache. And she knew, with all certainty that this was only the beginning.

The mayor pauses and thinks for a moment. "We'll sue then." he says decisively.

Gordon snorts lightly, "For what? Saving our collective asses? He has video evidence that the world was ending. You try to sue the man and you'll be laughed out of court. Not to mention that everyone who realizes that they were saved will crucify you for persecuting the man."

Eli Laud glares at the older woman, "Are you telling me the laws suddenly changed! There are rules against this type of thing now!"

"If you read those laws it's strictly reserved for vigilantism. He wasn't fighting some so-called villain. He basically saw a group of people dying and he saved them. He IS in fact protected by the law on this." Barbara says as patiently as possible. "And before you bring it up, he has all the permits in place. And Wayne-Powers isn't liable for any of this either. The technology involved and every single one of those towers is in Bruce Wayne's name, not the company's."

The man shakes his head, his eyes wide, the look on his face clearly indicating that he was fighting his stomach, "There has to be something we can do. Do you realize what being in the past means! Credits no longer have federal backing. Every last person outside the city has died! People are going to be rioting in the streets for months! There is no harbor for trade! And how are you going to enforce the law if you don't know what laws still apply! Most of the laws that regulate advanced technological problems haven't even been passed! How about Food and water! The very land the city is on is going to be contested!" the man was on his feet pacing back and forth, agitation in every movement.

"If I were you I'd contact Wayne as soon as you're able and stop wasting my time. I have a lot more problems on my plate at the moment then you do." Barbara snaps, she didn't have to be polite to the man. He couldn't fire her, especially at this moment and he damn well knew it, "And as for the land it's owned by the past Bruce Wayne. The only thing it was being used for was for studies working on pollution reversal. We replaced the whole area with the city. It was next to worthless to him and everyone else. The older Wayne is 100% certain that his younger self will freely allow it to be turned over to the corresponding land owners."

Mayor Laud sneers scathingly, "Are you trying to tell me that the past Bruce Wayne is an idiot? Because if you are you can forget it. No one in their right mind would turn over that type of leverage just because they can."

"You obviously didn't do much research on the man." she holds back the urge to call this leach out on his own idiotsy, and truly he was. Bruce Wayne has been a fixture of the city for decades. To be that ignorant of him was ... well there is no words on how stupid it was. "He holds the record for the most charitable contributions worldwide for thirty years straight. There are entire charity organizations that have him to thank for their entire budgets. Giving away the land is NOTHING to him." she says firmly.

"Fine! But why the hell should I contact the man? He put the city in this position in the first place!" Laud snaps out.

"First off he saved our lives. Secondly, If you listened to my explanation more closely you'd realize exactly why." knowing he wasn't going to remember anytime soon she decides to repeat herself this once, if only to get this fight... err meeting over with. What the people were thinking when they elected this idiot she'd never know. His ability to solve problems was as close to zero as humanly possible. He probably didn't even come up with that list of problems that needed to be solved. She was almost certain that his assistant came up with it. "The project is over 40 years old. He was intelligent enough to invent it himself. Do you really think he didn't think of ways to fix the majority of the problems that came with using his little emergency button?"

Eli Laud gives the commissioner a measuring glance. Knowing human nature as well as she did she didn't mistake it for anything but for what it was, Greed. She wasn't surprised at it however. It was one constant with politicians. She gets up and walks to the door, the Mayor follows absent-mindedly as he thinks over the issue a little more carefully.

She delivers a parting shot as she opens her office door and practically pushes him out, "Remember I said most. Don't expect him to fix all your problems." With that she closes the door in the man's face praying that the man only hangs himself and doesn't drag half the city down with him.

* * *

_**Author's**_ Note: You ever have a story evolve as you write it. It can be very frustrating and very helpful at the same time. For example the Mayor was going to be a reasonable and good politician at the beginning. The commissioner was snapping so bad though, I started feeling bad for him so I started writing him as someone who deserved it. That and the thought of anyone else getting even a smudge of credit for the city being saved other than Bruce had me very annoyed. No one else should get any credit for that particular deed.

As for the Matt part... well I wanted to write something other than (Person in awe of cave and secret they now know... Bruce glares.. Person shifts nervously and looks around anyways... Bruce- don't touch anything... Person nods in complete fear) It's basically the same thing but actual detail instead of the generic 'get this part over with' thing people insist on putting in their stories. That and the kid is related to Bruce I wanted him to have some deductive thoughts going through his head. Yeah his deductions were completely wrong but with the information he was going on it wasn't that bad.


End file.
